Patterns of Portugal

A vibrant tour of Portugal, featuring more than 200 photographs that bring to life one of the most beautiful countries in the world. In this gorgeous book, writer and photographer Christine Chitnis invites you to celebrate the unique, timeless beauty of Portugal through the stunning designs and hues that define Portugal’s countryside, coast, small towns, and cosmopolitan cities. This collection features over 200 stunning photographs that illustrate the ways that color and pattern are woven into the very fabric of the country’s culture, history, architecture, and traditions. Each section features insightful essays that explore the artistry of Throughout these vibrant pages, you’ll discover the vivid stories behind each color and pattern, transporting you to the gorgeous fields of Alentejo, the sparkling waters of the Algarve, the busy streets of Lisbon, the lush valleys of the Douro, and beyond.

Auteur
Christine Chitnis is a writer, a photographer, and the author of Patterns of India. As a contributor to publications including the New York Times, Elle, and Condé Nast Traveler, Christine has earned a reputation as a multi-talented storyteller.

Résumé
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A vibrant tour of Portugal, featuring more than 200 photographs that bring to life one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

In this gorgeous coffee table book, writer and photographer Christine Chitnis invites you to celebrate the unique, timeless beauty of Portugal through the spectacular designs and hues that define Portugal’s countryside, coast, small towns, and cosmopolitan cities.

This stunningly giftable collection features over 200 photographs that illustrate the ways that color and pattern are woven into the very fabric of the country’s culture, history, architecture, and traditions. Each section features insightful essays that explore the artistry of azulejos, the colorful ceramic tiles covering much of Portugal's architecture; the intricately embroidered details of traditional lavradeira costumes; the rich flavors of Portuguese cuisine, and so much more.

Throughout these vibrant pages, you’ll discover the vivid stories behind each color and pattern, transporting you to the gorgeous fields of Alentejo, the sparkling waters of the Algarve, the busy streets of Lisbon, the lush valleys of the Douro, and beyond.

Échantillon de lecture
Introduction

Tucked away on the edge of the Atlantic, where dappled sunlight and ocean breezes kiss the shores and old-world romanticism abounds, Portugal’s diminutive size defies its weighty historical significance. Tales of conquering heroes and seafaring legends are reflected through its richly tiled artworks, storied architectural elements, and the Roman and Moorish ruins that lie scattered throughout its bucolic countryside. Once one of the richest empires in Europe, Portugal has also been one of the continent’s poorest countries, experiencing a drastic swing of fortunes through its centuries of civilization. Weaving from the honeyed fields of Alentejo and sparkling shores of the Algarve, to the heart of cosmopolitan Lisbon and verdant valleys of the Douro, color and pattern bring to life the complex history of Portugal, a country whose fortunes have always been tied to the sea.

In 1139, during the Reconquista—in which Christian crusaders reconquered the land from the Moors—the Kingdom of Portugal was founded by King Afonso Henriques and what followed was one of Europe’s longest-lived, wealthiest empires. As the birthplace of the Age of Discovery and center of the first global empire, Portugal made its mark on every corner of the globe through colonization, trade, slavery, and commerce during its mighty and ruthless reign. Thanks to their famed explorers Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to cross the Indian Ocean, a huge win in terms of gaining access to the lucrative spice route. By the sixteenth century, Portuguese rule had stretched around the globe, and because of the enormous wealth (and inspiration) drawn from Brazil, Goa, China, Mozambique, Angola, and the East Indies—to name just a few—the country entered a golden age of art, most visible through the architecture and surface design of its lavishly commissioned palaces, churches, and monasteries, and its plentiful use of colorful ceramic tiles called azulejos.

As a photographer, I was instantly drawn to Portugal’s unique palette and rich use of pattern, and especially intrigued by the way the same hues seem to echo throughout the country. The blue-and-white azulejos are reflected in the sunbaked beaches and enchanting blue water of the Atlantic coast. The fuchsia and gold of bougainvillea in bloom are mirrored, though timeworn and softened, in the colorfully painted facades of pastel homes. Many of Portugal’s decorative motifs include elements from battles, sea voyages, conquests, village life, and Catholicism, the country’s predominant religion. A famous example can be seen at Porto’s São Bento Railway Station, where Jorge Colaço, one of Portugal’s foremost azulejo artists, created blue-and-white panels of tiles illustrating scenes of daily life, such as the hay harvest, alongside murals of the country’s history, including one particularly detailed rendering of Prince Henry the Navigator during the conquest of Ceuta in North Africa.

Many of the colors seen in the country’s architecture and art find their inspiration in the palette of Portugal’s natural world. From Costa Azul to the Algarve, the southern coast is known for its strikingly blue waters, pristine beaches, and plunging sandstone cliffs. The landscape is echoed in the bleached white buildings, terra-cotta roofs, and simple architecture of the area’s charming coastal towns. Clean lines and soothing colors abound. The Mediterranean color scheme creeps into urban life as well, with Lisbon’s sunny yellow trams winding through the streets, and its buildings covered in sea-green and sky-blue azulejos. As you venture north, the palette drifts toward the lush greens of the terraced Douro Valley and verdant Vinho Verde region, and the deep golds, burgundies, and olives of the area’s abundant harvests. The result is a fluidity of color that meanders through Portugal’s countryside, coast, small towns, and cities.

As is the case with so much of my work, this book is personal in nature. I am drawn to stories that help us understand our interconnectedness. While writing my last book, Patterns of India, I began researching the family history of my husband, Vijay. Blanche Coutinho, Vijay’s mother, was a Catholic whose family originated from the Konkan region of India. Portuguese colonization lasted for over 450 years from 1505 to 1961 in the Konkan region and heavily influenced the culture, architecture, cuisine, and religion. Under the colonial caste system, there were three designations: castiço (Indians who converted to Christianity but had no Portuguese bloodline), mestiço (a blend of Indian and Portuguese), and descendentes (Portuguese who settled in Goa, India). We believe Blanche’s father, Albert, was mestiço, and that Albert’s father was a descendente from Portugal. Our documentation is limited, so we’re relying on family lore and burial locations to try to piece together the lineage. But imagine my shock upon learning my children’s roots possibly include a Portuguese lineage—one that dates back only a few generations.

It needs to be noted that during the Portuguese colonization of India, many Hindu families were forced by Portuguese-Catholic missionaries to convert against their will. In doing so, these families had to take on …